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Paper Crafts

Fun Crafts to Do When You’re Bored

3 · Aug 14, 2022 · Leave a Comment

Boredom is the worst! Do you ever have those days where you want to do something, but just don’t know quite what it is you want to do? Or do you feel like crafting, but don’t want to tackle any projects that take a huge amount of time or energy? We all feel that way sometimes.

We have hundreds of crafts that you can find here on Whipperberry.com. All of these crafts are great for when you’re bored at home or even when you’re stressed.

Things to Make When You’re Bored

Here are some suggestions for fun and easy crafts to help alleviate that awful bored feeling. They’re all easy, inexpensive, and most can be done with things you probably already have around your house.

1. Rock Painting

  • Painting rocks is a fun activity for both adults and children. It’s easy, and anyone, regardless of painting skill, can get nice results. Here’s what you need for this craft:
  • Smooth rocks of any size and shape
  • Acrylic paints and paint brushes
  • Water, to rinse your paint brushes
  • Clear sealant


The first step to painting rocks is to find the best rocks! Look for rocks that aren’t too small, with a smooth surface. You can probably find suitable rocks around your own yard or in your neighborhood. Nice smooth river rocks can even be purchased from garden centers and craft stores. Be aware that it is prohibited to remove rocks from National and State parks, and it’s also prohibited to leave painted rocks in these parks.

Once you find your perfect painting rocks, you’ll need to clean them off in warm soapy water. Use a brush or dish scrubber to get rid of any dirt and debris. Once the rocks are dry, you’re ready to paint!

Acrylic paint is the best choice to use for painting on rocks. It’s inexpensive and durable, and it dries quickly. To begin, you might want to paint a solid background (any color) on the rock first. This will make the rest of your design stand out, as well as act as a primer coat. Acrylic paint dries very fast; it shouldn’t take more than 10-15 minutes.  Now it’s up to your imagination as to what to paint!

You don’t even have to use paintbrushes. You can create designs of multi-colored dots using a cotton swab, or the end of a pencil eraser. You can use acrylic paint markers to paint fine details and lettering on your designs.

After your rock painting is dry, you should protect it with a clear sealant. This will give it a nice glossy finish and will protect the paint from chipping. You can use brush-on varnish, spray sealant, or even clear nail polish. 

 

2. Bleach Tie-Dye 

Bleach tie-dye sometimes called reversed tie-dye, is an easy way to embellish t-shirts, hoodies, or household fabric items. It’s called reversed tie-dye because instead of adding color to fabric with dyes, you’ll be removing the color on the fabric with diluted bleach.  Here’s what you’ll need to get started:

  • A spray bottle, or plastic squirt bottle
  • Bleach
  • Water
  • Plastic tub or bucket
  • Rubber bands
  • Gloves
  • A tarp or plastic trash bags or plastic tablecloth to use as a dropcloth
  • Whatever item(s) you want to tie-dye. 100% cotton fabrics in dark or jewel-toned colors work best.

 

Whenever you work with bleach, you should be in a well-ventilated area. Working outdoors is probably best, but if you’re inside make sure you can open windows and have a fan blowing. Wearing gloves is advised, because bleach can irritate your skin. Be sure to wear old clothes, just in case any of the bleach solutions splashes or drips onto you. 

Lay down your dropcloth for your work area. Even if you’re working outdoors, you don’t want bleach coming in contact with anything other than the fabric you’re working with. Fill the plastic tub or bucket with enough cool water to submerge your fabric. In the spray bottle or squeeze bottle, mix a solution of half water and half bleach.

Now for the fun part; it’s time to tie up your shirt with the rubber bands! You can find tying patterns online to make specific tie-dye patterns, but you can also get great results from scrunching and “tying” with rubber bands randomly. Just bunch up a section of the fabric, wrap securely with a rubber band, then repeat as much as you want. Using different widths of rubber bands will give more interesting results.  Keep in mind while you’re doing this that the sections of fabric under the rubber bands and inside the folds will stay the original color, and the bleach you squirt on the fabric will lighten the color.

Now take your bottle of bleach solution and apply wherever you’d like the fabric lightened. If you’re using a spray bottle, varying the width of the spray gives interesting results. Depending on the fabric, you should begin to see color changes in about 5-10 minutes.

When you can see the results are lightened as much as you’d like (just take a peek under a rubber band), remove all the rubber bands and submerge the fabric in the tub of water. Be sure to rinse it thoroughly. Immediately wash your reverse tie-dyed piece in the washing machine to stop the bleaching process. Don’t put anything else in the machine with it.

It’s a fun surprise to see the final outcome using this method. Using a bleach solution doesn’t mean you’ll get white results. Trying this on a black fabric will usually give you orange or tan designs. Bleach on dark blues and purple fabrics will often result in pinkish or gray designs.
 

3. No-Sew T-Shirt Tote Bag

Everyone has those cherished t-shirts that have seen better days, but that you can’t quite bear to part with. This craft is a quick and easy way to create tote bags, and you won’t even have to get out a needle and thread. Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Tshirt
  • Fabric scissors
  • Ruler

Lay your t-shirt out on a flat surface, and, using a sharp pair of scissors, cut off the sleeves right at the seams. You just made the handles for your tote bag!  Next cut around the neck of the shirt to create a wider opening for the bag. 

At the bottom of the shirt, cut slits approximately 1” apart all the way across, cutting through both the front and back of the shirt. These slits should be long enough for you to tie a double knot with them; usually making them about 3” tall works well.

Now all you have to do is tie some knots! Keep the slits lined up, and start tying the front strip to the strip directly behind it. Tie them in tight double knots, beginning at one end of the shirt and working across. You’ve just closed up the bottom of the tote bag!

Tying the knots on the outside will give the bag a little fringed detail across the bottom. If you don’t like this look, you can flip the shirt inside out before tying. Just line up the slits, tie the front and back strips together, then turn the bag right side out. The knots will be on the inside.
If you want, you can add some extra decorations to the bag.

These make great reusable shopping bags. They’re easy to wash and should last a long while. By upcycling your old t-shirts, you’ve also reduced consumer waste and kept them out of landfills.


4. Paper Napkin Decoupage Flower Pots

 

Decoupage is an easy way to transform plain terra cotta flower pots into lovely one-of-a-kind home accent pieces. Here are the materials needed:

  • Terra cotta flower pot
  • Paper napkins with pretty patterns on them
  • Mod Podge, matte or gloss finish (whichever you prefer)
  • Acrylic craft paint
  • Paintbrush

The first step to decorating your flower pot is to paint it with a base coat of acrylic paint. Light colors will work best for this, so that the design on the paper napkin will show up nicely. Since terra cotta pots are porous, acrylic paint should dry in approximately 15 minutes or so.

Next, if your napkins are multi-layered, separate the layers. You’ll only need the top layer that has the printing on it. Then cut or tear around the design you want to apply to the flower pot.

With a paintbrush, spread a thin layer of Mod Podge over the area where you want to apply the napkin design. Carefully apply the design, smoothing out the edges as much as possible. Let it dry for a few minutes to make sure the napkin design is secure, then brush another thin layer of the Mod Podge over the top of the design. You’ll have to do this gently so the napkin won’t tear. Be sure to spread the Mod Podge over the edges so they won’t curl up. Don’t worry if the Mod Podge looks milky, it will dry perfectly clear. Let this dry, then repeat to add as many designs on the flower pot as you’d like.

Let it dry completely overnight, then brush another layer of Mod Podge over the entire flower pot to seal everything and give it a nice even finish. Not only are these flower pots eye-catching decorative pieces, they also make very nice gifts.

 

5. Easy No-Sew Felt and Fabric Coasters

Here is a quick project that is perfect for using up fabric scraps. The supplies you’ll need are:

  • Fabric (any kind)
  • Felt
  • Scissors
  • Ruler
  • Fabric Mod Podge 
  • Paintbrush

Cut the felt into 4” by 4” squares. Then, cut your fabric into 5” by 5” squares. Use the paintbrush to apply the Fabric Mod Podge evenly over one side of a felt square. Be sure to get it all the way to the edges.

Then, carefully apply the fabric square over top of the felt square. Try to get the fabric square lined up so that it is centered as much as possible. Smooth it out with your hands so there aren’t any wrinkles or air bubbles. Let it dry, then you can apply another layer of Fabric Mod Podge over the top of the fabric to give it a little more substance and a nice lightly glossed finish. Once that top coat is completely dry, trim the excess fabric edges with your scissors. If you don’t want to trim off the fabric edges, you can also snip along the excess edges to create a fringed edge look. 

That’s it! It’s a super easy project with cute results. Other than using up your fabric scraps, you can make these coasters with holiday print fabrics, or even by cutting up older clothes that aren’t in good enough shape to wear anymore.

 

6. T-Shirt Pillow



This is another easy craft that upcycles old t-shirts. Making a t-shirt pillow is a great way to hang on to a favorite shirt. If you have a t-shirt that doesn’t fit anymore, or it’s from a favorite concert or event, you can create a keepsake throw pillow with it to preserve those memories.
For this project you’ll need:

  • T-Shirt
  • Scissors
  • Ruler
  • Sewing Machine (or needle & matching thread)
  • Fiberfill or a pillow form

The first thing you need to do is to cut the t-shirt into two pieces. Just cut along the side seams, going straight up through the sleeves and across the shoulders. The next step is to measure your t-shirt pieces, so you can trim them to fit the pillow form (if using). If you’re using fiberfill to stuff the pillow, just trim the t-shirt pieces into a square or rectangle shape.

Now pin the two pieces together, with the “wrong” sides facing in towards each other. If you don’t want to use the back of the t-shirt, you can use a coordinating fabric for the back of the pillow. Using your sewing machine, or you can even hand sew this, sew three of the four sides together.

Turn the pillow right-side-out, and stuff it with the fiberfill or pillow form. The last step is to sew up the remaining side.This seam is the only one that will show, so you might want to make it at the bottom of the pillow. Now you’ve got a fun keepsake pillow! This is a good project for anyone who is beginning to learn to sew. You could even buy t-shirts from your local thrift store to practice making pillows.

 

7. Yarn Wrapped Bottles and Jars

  • This project is easy and a lot of fun for children as well as adults. You’ll need the following:
  • Glass bottles, jars, or vases
  • Yarn or twine, any color/styles/sizes
  • Tacky craft glue, such as Aleen’s Tacky Glue
  • Scissors


This project is so simple, yet so satisfying. To begin, make sure your bottle or jar is clean and dry. Starting at the top, apply enough glue around the top couple of inches to get your yarn to stick securely. Wrap the yarn once around the top, tying a knot to help keep it in place. Keep the tail end of the knot downward, so it will get wrapped under the yarn as you go. Now you just wrap the yarn tightly around the bottle or jar, reapplying more glue every so often as needed. Be sure your yarn layers are tight together and that none of the bottle is showing through.

Have fun with this! Use different colored yarns to create stripes. Wrapping jute or twine around your bottle is perfect for a “rustic chic” style.  Once you reach the bottom, just snip off the end of your yarn and glue it down securely.

Let your bottle or jar dry overnight, then you can decorate it more by gluing a strip of wide lace or coordinating fabric around the middle. You could even embellish with small beads or rhinestones. Of course, just leaving it with the yarn or twine wrapped around looks lovely, too. These make pretty vases, but they can also be used to hold pens, paintbrushes, or even makeup brushes. 

8. Duct Tape Bookmark

This is another quick and easy craft that is great to do with kids. Duct tape can be found in a wide variety of colors and patterns. Even if all you have is the “usual” silvery gray colored duct tape, you can make a cute bookmark with a little embellishment. Here’s what you’ll need for this craft:

  • Duct Tape, any brand, any color or pattern
  • Colorful yarn, twine, and/or ribbons
  • Scissors
  • Hole punch
  • Optional embellishments such as stickers, washi tape, scraps of lace, etc.

Cut two identical strips of duct tape, approximately 6” long. Now take the strips, and carefully stick the two sticky sides to each other. This is easiest if you start at the top of the strips, slowly pressing them together along the length. You can use a credit card to smooth out any air bubbles as you stick them together. This doesn’t have to be absolutely exact. Trim off any overlapping sticky edges, and cut it to your desired length.

Punch a hole in the center of the top of your bookmark, about ½” from the top edge. Then thread your yarn or ribbons through the hole and tie a knot to keep them secure. If you want, you can add some decoration to your bookmark by adding stripes from contrasting duct tape pieces, gluing on scraps of lace or fabric, or adding color washi tape pieces.  These bookmarks are a nice addition if you’re giving a book to someone as a gift.

The next time you’re feeling bored, or like you’ve hit a “crafting block”, try one of these fun and easy craft ideas. Hopefully, it will brighten your day and get the creativity flowing again.

How to Make a Paper Roll Sign for Hanukkah • Video Tutorial

4 · Dec 12, 2017 · 1 Comment

Back in October, I ventured out of the sign-making box and tried the idea of making paper rolls signs with heat transfer vinyl. As much as I would love to have mad hand lettering skills, I have come to accept the fact that this is a talent I do not have. I can however, design on the computer and cut my design with my Cricut Maker out of Cricut Iron-On Lite and press the vinyl onto the sign with my Cricut Easy Press. It’s PERFECT!! I decided I wanted to make a meaningful sign for my Jewish friends as they begin their Hanukkah celebrations this week and the paper roll sign is perfect for that. Now, if you don’t have a Cricut, then I’d suggest checking out the Cricut vs Silhouette post to see if we can change that.

+ This post brought to you by Cricut +Create this meaningful sign for Hanukkah this year using a vintage style paper roll and your Cricut Maker or Explore Air machine and the @cricut Easy Press • Video Tutorial created by WhipperBerry

Why a Paper Roll Sign

Now, whether you celebrate Hanukkah or not, this tutorial is fun for all kinds of sign making. My last sign was for Halloween and my next sign will most likely be for the New Year.

I love the concept of the paper roll sign because I don’t typically like to use the same stuff year after year. I want something new for each new season. The paper roll is so much more economical that making the sign out of wood or canvas every time I want to change-up my decor. When I am finished with that sign, I tear off the bottom of the paper with the vinyl on it and start over with a new design. It’s totally the way I like to “roll.”

I found my paper roll (NOT and affiliate) on Amazon. I know that many home decor stores carry them as well. They also come in various sizes. I am using the small size for this project.

Tools and Materials

I am using my trusted Cricut tools again for this project. You just can’t go wrong with them. Even the New York Times feels the same way. They listed the Cricut Explore Air 2 as one of the best gifts this holiday season in The New York Times 2017 Holiday Gift Guide with the Cricut Maker as the upgrade gift. Can’t go wrong there!

For this project you only need a few items…

  • vintage style paper roll
  • Cricut Iron-On Lite
  • Cricut Machine
  • Cricut Easy Press
  • Cricut Iron-On Protective Sheet
  • towel or heat resistant ironing mat
  • Hanukkah Sign SVG file

Create this meaningful sign for Hanukkah this year using a vintage style paper roll and your Cricut Maker or Explore Air machine and the @cricut Easy Press • Video Tutorial created by WhipperBerry

Instructions

First, you’ll need to download the design file listed above or create your own design in Cricut Design Space. Once you have your design ready in Design Space, you are ready to cut your file and make your sign. Here is a quick video showing you how I created my paper roll sign.

How to Create a Paper Roll Sign for Hanukkah created by WhipperBerry from Heather Thoming on Vimeo.

Super easy, right? All you need to do is make sure you have the RIGHT tools and the skies the limit. Here’s a quick recap…

  • Cut design on your cutting machine out of Cricut Iron-On Lite. Make sure that you mirror the image so that it will cut right. You will also want to make sure that the shiny side of the heat transfer vinyl is down when cutting out your design.
  • Weed the vinyl. This means to remove the excess vinyl from your cut vinyl leaving only the design that is mirrored and ready to adhere to your paper roll.
  • Lay the design down onto the surface of the paper.

Create this meaningful sign for Hanukkah this year using a vintage style paper roll and your Cricut Maker or Explore Air machine and the @cricut Easy Press • Video Tutorial created by WhipperBerry

  • Cover the design with the Cricut Iron-On Protective Sheet.
  • Turn your Cricut Easy Press onto 325˚ and set the timer for 50 seconds.
  • Place the Easy Press or your iron onto the paper and hold for 50 seconds. Make sure to heat the entire surface of the sign before removing the clear protective sheet on top of the heat transfer vinyl.
  • Remove clear plastic sheet.
  • Hang your new sign!

For more Cricut inspiration, follow Cricut on Pinterest. They have all kinds of amazing project! Want to make sure you don’t forget this idea and tutorial? Here’s an image that you can pin to make sure you can find it again…

Create this meaningful sign for Hanukkah this year using a vintage style paper roll and your Cricut Maker or Explore Air machine and the @cricut Easy Press • Video Tutorial created by WhipperBerry

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Cricut. The opinions and text are all mine.

How to Import and Use a SVG File in Cricut Design Space

54 · Nov 21, 2017 · 2 Comments

I LOVE to create my own designs for all kinds of things like signs, printables, special gifts and now, thanks to the Cricut Maker… Sewing projects! The issue that I ran into at the beginning was figuring out how to effectively use my own SVG files in Cricut Design Space. If you’re like me, and would like to either use either your own designs or other designs that you purchase from Etsy or other sites, this video tutorial is for you! You could use a Silhouette or a Cricut. If you’re unsure of which is better you can read my review of Cricut vs Silhouette here. Whether you are a sign maker, a paper crafter or you love to work with fabric, chances are you've wanted to either create your own SVG files or download files that you've purchased and use them with your Cricut Projects Here’s a great video tutorial on how to import your own SVG files into Cricut Design Space and how to easily use it in the software.

Whether you are a sign maker, a paper crafter or you love to work with fabric, chances are you’ve wanted to either create your own SVG files or download files that you’ve purchased and use them with your Cricut Projects. The Cricut Design Space is pretty robust but there are times when you need a little more in the design area. For example, create curved text and such for a project. I stumbled across a way to covert PDF sewing patterns into SVG files to use with my Cricut Maker.  Don’t worry, I’ll have a tutorial for that soon. Today, I want to focus on how to import and use that SVG file into Cricut Design Space and use it effectively. I’ve been working on this for a bit so I’ve managed to come-up with some great tips and tricks to help speed-up your work flow in order to cut down on possibly technology frustration.

Video Tutorial on How to Import and Use Your SVG Files in Cricut Design Space

Take a few minutes to sit and watch this video. I promise it will make your time in the Cricut Design Space much easier!

Snowball Bath Bomb Printable Gift Tag

41 · Nov 10, 2017 · 1 Comment

Hey guys! The Holidays are right around the corner and now’s the time to start preparing. I had a friend tell me today, “the Christmas season starts the minute Halloween is over and Thanksgiving is half-time.” I’m not one to run right past Thanksgiving but, I kind of get where he’s coming from. As busy as things get, it’s a great idea to start workin on those fun neighbor, office, teacher and friend gifts. Now, if you’re planning on baking, you’ll have to wait until the last minute to make your treats. With these Snowball Bath Bombs, you can still pull out the mixer and not have to scramble at the last minute to put your sweet treats together. These could be wrapped up in July if you’re really that prepared!

SNOWBALL BATH BOMBS Looking for a simple Christmas gift for friends and neighbors? This simple to make snowball bath bomb will quickly become your favorite gift to give this holiday season!

Check out this video to see how easy they are to make…

Snowball Bath Bombs via WhipperBerry from Heather Thoming on Vimeo.

For the full recipe you’ll need to visit I Heart Nap Time to get all of the details on how to make the snowball bath bombs BUT… You can download the free printable HERE.

snowball bath bomb whipperberry free printable gift tag-100

This tag is double sided. All you need to do is print the front then flip your paper over and print the polka dots on the back side.

SNOWBALL BATH BOMBS Looking for a simple Christmas gift for friends and neighbors? This simple to make snowball bath bomb will quickly become your favorite gift to give this holiday season!

Make sure to run over to I Heart Naptime to get all of the instructions on how to make this gem of a little gift.  You can also pin the image below to help you remember what you’re going to make for your friends and neighbors this year. Happy gifting!

SNOWBALL BATH BOMBS Looking for a simple Christmas gift for friends and neighbors? This simple to make snowball bath bomb will quickly become your favorite gift to give this holiday season!

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Heather from Whipperberry
Hello... my name is Heather and I'm the creator of WhipperBerry a creative lifestyle blog packed full of great recipes and creative ideas for your home and family. I find I am happiest when I'm living a creative life and I love to share what I've been up to along the way... Come explore, my hope is that you'll leave inspired!

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